


Penrose Triangle

by buhfly



Series: Impossible Objects [1]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, OT3, arthur and eames are exes, obviously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-19
Updated: 2010-08-19
Packaged: 2017-11-18 10:12:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/559845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buhfly/pseuds/buhfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Introductions are made for Ariadne and Eames smiles at her. This is not out of the ordinary in and of itself but Arthur knows that smile. He watches them talk, feel each other out verbally; he watches the way Eames' eyes track her, never impolitely but close all the same; he watches the faint blush rise in Ariadne's cheeks. There is a moment when he could have felt the clutch of jealousy in his heart but instead he has something of an epiphany and he sees a new path he hadn't even realized was there before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Penrose Triangle

Everyone thinks Eames gets on his nerves. He won't say the odd nudge to his chair to unbalance him or his pretended ignorance when Arthur breaks out a multisyllable word isn't irritating but it's _Eames_ that's so damn touchy. It's _Eames_ who throws out smirks and endearments like tiny hand grenades. It's _Eames_ that reacts with sarcasm to every compliment Arthur pays him, no matter how small. In fact, the small compliments seem to nettle him the worst, bringing out the aggressive eye contact and that particular polite mask which is in reality a quiet, "Fuck you."

He doesn't dislike Eames, but everyone thinks he does. Everyone has it backwards and sometimes _that_ gets on his nerves. Arthur knows it has to do with the way he cold shoulders the other man and blank faces his flirting, but that has nothing to do with disliking Eames and everything to do with being professional.

This is how they meet.

The Cranier Job. It's before everything goes bad, before Mal tears it all apart. Cobb introduces the forger, Eames, and there's something that flares between them when they shake hands, something that could be mistaken for animosity but definitely is not. Arthur takes in Eames' style while Eames smirks and postures; they're both well aware of how they represent opposite ends of the spectrum. The job is complex without being too difficult. Eames' work is utterly brilliant and Arthur's research is flawless. Everyone goes away happy.

This is how they _meet_.

The Jablonski job. They knew going in there would be militarization; they were prepared for it. But even the best research and the most well-oiled team can have bad luck. Arthur gets tagged by projections early on but Jablonski has Issues and his projections prefer a hands on approach rather than guns. He tries to do himself but there are too many of them, ripping and tearing at him, and he's disarmed before he can properly pull the trigger--all the fighting ability in the world does one no good against a mob. He grits his teeth and tries to bear it but when one of them breaks his wrist and does his best to yank Arthur's hand off he can't help but cry out. Eames pauses as the rest of them get away, turns, and fires a bullet through Arthur's head, right where his third eye would be.

They get what they came for anyway and Arthur is pleased for that but out of sorts as he packs up the PASIV device. Cobb and Mal have already left, splitting up with a kiss and a silent promise to meet at their hotel room. Arthur snaps the clasps on the case, stands, and finds Eames leaning against the doorway watching him. Arthur sways lightly, feeling the tiny telltale signs that the train is slowing as it nears Warsaw.

"You're supposed to be gone already." It isn't meant to be anything but simple commentary but he can see Eames get his back up.

"Oh, am I? Thank you so much, Arthur. How I've made it this far without my favorite nursemaid, I've no idea."

Arthur steps into his space and Eames gives way and then they're both outside the sleeper car, moving down the cramped hallway. They're supposed to separate; Arthur mulls this over again as he reaches the dining car and sits at a table. Eames sits across from him without a word. They both order drinks--Arthur, a martini; Eames, a scotch. It's another ten minutes before the train pulls into the station and they spend it quietly eyeing each other. Eames finally relaxes after he gets some liquor in him and Arthur's mouth quirks in what could be mistaken for a smirk but is just simple amusement.

"Do you have plans for tonight?" he asks, as they stand. The words slip out easily; this isn't the first time Arthur's thought about saying them.

Eames meets his eyes, full lips lifting on one side. "How does dinner at Belvedere suit you?"

Arthur nods and Eames steps back to let him pass into the hallway. He could pretend he brushes up against him due to the close conditions, but that's not it. Most of Arthur's signals are silent but Eames is excellent at picking up the nuances of human behavior.

It doesn't work out.

The sex is varied and intense and amazing and a hundred other adjectives that Arthur could apply with pleasure but they're two very different people who live very different lives. They try for a while but the biggest obstacle is their schedules. Arthur works with Cobb and work with Cobb is fairly regular. But not every job requires a forger and Eames has his own line of work, not all of it in the dream world. They have to plan weekends together and it gets tedious. Eames is terrible at remembering dates and Arthur hates being stood up.

Eames tends to blow obscene amounts of money feeding his gambling addiction which makes Arthur tense and grumpy even though it's not his bank account that's suffering. Arthur quietly mocks Eames' clothing, which he can see grates on Eames nerves even though he purposely buys ugly things to get a rise out of Arthur. Eames likes dogs, Arthur likes cats. Arthur can cook and enjoys it, Eames can burn water. Arthur has a family he keeps in touch with; Eames doesn't seem to have a family at all, though Arthur doesn't pry too hard into his past.

In the end, there is no big display or row; they just drift apart into their work. Sometimes they call or text, sometimes they meet up, but the final result is that Arthur is married to his background checks and Eames has a different bed partner every three days or so. Both of them carry an unarticulated feeling of regret over this.

Ariadne is beautiful and knows it and accepts it without letting it go to her head. She's petite and built in straight lines like a boy but with a gracefulness that is distinctly feminine. Arthur cataloged all of this upon their first meeting but it isn't until Ariadne starts building mazes that Arthur starts to fall. He knows an inordinate amount of beautiful, talented people but Ariadne is one of the best architects he's ever worked with. Cobb tells him about her physics experiments and the trick with the mirrors her first time under and Arthur finds it unaccountably attractive. He keeps this to himself.

This is how they meet.

The Fischer Job. Ariadne's working on a maze, tracing a path in the air above the three dimensional tag board model with her finger. Arthur is flipping through one of the dossiers on Fischer and his father. Yusuf arrived early with coffee and donuts and is happily settled at a table with the PASIV device and a notebook crammed full of formulae. Cobb and Eames arrive together.

Introductions are made for Ariadne and Eames smiles at her. This is not out of the ordinary in and of itself but Arthur knows that smile. He watches them talk, feel each other out verbally; he watches the way Eames' eyes track her, never impolitely but close all the same; he watches the faint blush rise in Ariadne's cheeks. There is a moment when he could have felt the clutch of jealousy in his heart but instead he has something of an epiphany and he sees a new path he hadn't even realized was there before.

Later, Eames wanders into his space and Arthur looks up to find them as alone as they can get with four other people in an open warehouse. "A little young for you, don't you think?"

Eames widens his eyes in genuine bemusement for a moment, and then narrows them as he tries to figure out if Arthur's words are meant as a dig or a tease. "She's a remarkable and lovely woman, Arthur." He smirks. "I didn't know you cared."

Arthur's fingers flip through a sheaf of papers like a pianist's walking over ivory keys. "You're right. She is a very remarkable woman." He keeps eye contact long enough for Eames' eyes to widen slightly again and then they split apart, going to their prospective corners. They have a job to do, everything else comes after.

Later, Eames nudges Arthur's chair to demonstrate the kick for Ariadne. Arthur resists the urge to throw his notebook at Eames; that would be childish and, besides, it's one of his good notebooks. Even later than that, Arthur sneaks a kiss in on the second level. Ariadne's held breath and slow look speak volumes.

This is how they _meet_.

The Fischer Job is done. Arthur waits for his luggage with the rolling rack and feels something bubbling up in his chest. If he were less reserved, he might laugh, but he's not so he just shoots Cobb a smile as they pass. He can afford to forget about the bad things right now because everything worked out; later, he'll have to think seriously about the implications but for now it's enough to feel good for his friend.

Eames watches Cobb walk away and doesn't smile. He can be happy for someone and still have reservations at the same time, Arthur is aware. There's a coiling tension running through his body, as if playing James Bond in the snow hadn't been enough excitement for the day.

Ariadne picks up her suitcase and turns to find both men near her, Arthur strapping his luggage to the rack and Eames pulling his jacket on, looking very _serious_ all in black. "Did you guys have plans?" she asks. She looks exhausted and wired at the same time.

There's an easy pause. Eames opens his mouth to answer but Arthur beats him to it. "We were going to have drinks. Join us?"

Eames has a room at the Mondrian. A few drinks at Skybar turn into drinks in his room turn into far too many glasses of wine. Arthur knows he's had too much because he's warm and cozy and all the lights are faintly shimmery. He accepts that he's staying the night without any qualms and knows he doesn't have to check with Eames first. He's sprawled on the couch, watching them.

Someone's iPod is playing Lady Gaga. Arthur hopes within his heart that it's Eames' iPod because it would be a never ending source of amusement. Some kind of remix of _Paparazzi_ is playing--Arthur does his level best not to beg in his head (please, oh, please, oh, please) that it really is Eames' iPod but there's at least a bottle and a half of red wine in him on top of everything they'd had at the bar and it makes it difficult. Ariadne laughs when Eames tugs her close and begins to slow dance, completely ignoring the grinding, double-time techno beat of the song, singing the lyrics in a surprisingly good baritone.

"Why do you know all the words to this song?" she asks, giggling helplessly as he spins them around.

"Lady Gaga is an _artist_ ," Eames informs her with a face and voice so earnest it draws another laugh from her. All the light in the room is golden, all the accents are silver; Ariadne's color is high and Eames meets Arthur's eyes over her shoulder.

When he stands, Arthur sways and momentarily has a flashback to zero gravity and fighting for his life. He throws it off and walks a nearly perfect straight line to the slow dancing couple. Eames' hands uncurl from Ariadne's waist and find Arthur's hips, bringing him in against her. "I had no idea that wearing latex and ballet shoes were all it took to be an artist," he murmurs and laughs with Ariadne when Eames takes offense. None of them move away from each other. Ariadne's hair smells like rosemary and juniper and Arthur can feel the heat of Eames' hands through his clothing.

Arthur knows the moment when it all reaches through the alcohol haze in Ariadne's head. He feels the shift in her body, calculates how much is discomfort and how much is surprise. His eyes meet Eames' again and they have a silent conversation that lasts mere seconds. Arthur curves his body against Ariadne's back, supporting without constraining, and watches as Eames' mouth meets hers.


End file.
